why drive a car in europe?
In relating the nine myths about European motor travel, I’ve told you the fuel costs, the toll costs and the parking costs associated with a motoring tour of Europe. But how does the economics of motor travel compare to that of rail travel? In this respect a recent edition of budget-travel guru Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Backdoor newsletter pointed out, “Every year, as train prices go up, car rental — even one way car rental, especially in terms of a tax-free short-term car lease — becomes a better option for budget travelers in Europe. It’s surprisingly easy. While the lion’s share of travelers are planning on train travel, you should at least consider the driving option.” Even if motor travel works out to be more expensive for you than rail travel, the value afforded by motoring tends to be greater and often justifies a greater expenditure. Many people hold that the value realizable in European travel is inversely proportional to the number of people traveling Europe at any one
